Mathematically Gifted Adolescents Have Deficiencies in Social Valuation and Mentalization

Many mathematically gifted adolescents are characterized as being indolent, underachieving and unsuccessful despite their high cognitive ability. This is often due to difficulties with social and emotional development. However, research on social and emotional interactions in gifted adolescents has been limited. The purpose of this study was to observe differences in complex social strategic behaviors between gifted and average adolescents of the same age using the repeated Ultimatum Game. Twenty-two gifted adolescents and 24 average adolescents participated in the Ultimatum Game. Two adolescents participate in the game, one as a proposer and the other as a responder. Because of its simplicity, the Ultimatum Game is an apt tool for investigating complex human emotional and cognitive decision-making in an empirical setting. We observed strategic but socially impaired offers from gifted proposers and lower acceptance rates from gifted responders, resulting in lower total earnings in the Ultimatum Game. Thus, our results indicate that mathematically gifted adolescents have deficiencies in social valuation and mentalization

Associations between maternal size and health outcomes for women undergoing caesarean section: a multicentre prospective observational study (the MUM SIZE study)

Objectives To investigate associations between maternal body mass index (BMI) at delivery (using pregnancy-specific BMI cut-off values 5 kg/m 2 higher in each of the WHO groups) and clinical, theatre utilisation and health economic outcomes for women undergoing caesarean section (CS). Design A prospective multicentre observational study. Setting Seven secondary or tertiary referral obstetric hospitals. Participants One thousand and four hundred and fifty-seven women undergoing all categories of CS. Data collection Height and weight were recorded at the initial antenatal visit and at delivery. We analysed the associations between delivery BMI (continuous and pregnancy-specific cut-off values) and total theatre time, surgical time, anaesthesia time, maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes, total hospital admission and theatre costs. Results Mean participant characteristics were: age 32 years, gestation at delivery 38.4 weeks and delivery BMI 32.2 kg/m 2. Fifty-five per cent of participants were overweight, obese or super-obese using delivery pregnancy-specific BMI cut-off values. As BMI increased, total theatre time, surgical time and anaesthesia time increased. Super-obese participants had approximately 27% (17 min, p < 0.001) longer total theatre time, 20% (9 min, p < 0.001), longer surgical time and 40% (11 min, p < 0.001) longer anaesthesia time when compared with normal BMI participants. Increased BMI at delivery was associated with increased risk of maternal intensive care unit admission (relative risk 1.07, p=0.045), but no increased risk of neonatal admission to higher acuity care. Total hospital admission costs were 15% higher in super-obese women compared with normal BMI women and theatre costs were 27% higher in super-obese women. Conclusions Increased maternal BMI was associated with increased total theatre time, surgical and anaesthesia time, increased total hospital admission costs and theatre costs. Clinicians and health administrators should consider these clinical risks, time implications and financial costs when managing pregnant women

Different Gain/Loss Sensitivity and Social Adaptation Ability in Gifted Adolescents during a Public Goods Game

Gifted adolescents are considered to have high IQs with advanced mathematical and logical performances, but are often thought to suffer from social isolation or emotional mal-adaptation to the social group. The underlying mechanisms that cause stereotypic portrayals of gifted adolescents are not well known. We aimed to investigate behavioral performance of gifted adolescents during social decision-making tasks to assess their affective and social/non-social cognitive abilities. We examined cooperation behaviors of 22 gifted and 26 average adolescents during an iterative binary public goods (PG) game, a multi-player social interaction game, and analyzed strategic decision processes that include cooperation and free-riding. We found that the gifted adolescents were more cooperative than average adolescents. Particularly, comparing the strategies for the PG game between the two groups, gifted adolescents were less sensitive to loss, yet were more sensitive to gain. Additionally, the behavioral characteristics of average adolescents, such as low trust of the group and herding behavior, were not found in gifted adolescents. These results imply that gifted adolescents have a high cognitive ability but a low ability to process affective information or to adapt in social groups compared with average adolescents. We conclude that gain/loss sensitivity and the ability to adapt in social groups develop to different degrees in average and gifted adolescents

The Career Decisions of Gifted Students: An Asian-Pacific Perspective

Drawing on the literature in multiple related areas, an overview is presented in this chapter of the major issues that may surround career decisions for gifted students in the Asia-Pacific region. After a discussion on the pervasive role of family influence reflecting cultural values in the region, coverage is given to the importance placed on extrinsic values such as prestige, economic returns, and stability in a career (and the lack of emphasis on intrinsic values such as interest and a desire for intellectual stimulation), along with gender role expectations and the experience of career indecision. Thereafter, the similarities and differences in the career aspirations of gifted students in the region with the career aspirations of gifted students in Western societies are explained. Following this, two career theories that may be useful in understanding the career decisions of this group—the theory of circumscription and compromise and the theory of work adjustment—are discussed. The chapter concludes with some speculative, but research-informed, thoughts on the future of the career decisions of gifted students in the region

Epidemiology of pre-existing multimorbidity in pregnant women in the UK in 2018: a population-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Although maternal death is rare in the United Kingdom, 90% of these women had multiple health/social problems. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of pre-existing multimorbidity (two or more long-term physical or mental health conditions) in pregnant women in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland). STUDY DESIGN: Pregnant women aged 15-49 years with a conception date 1/1/2018 to 31/12/2018 were included in this population-based cross-sectional study, using routine healthcare datasets from primary care: Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD, United Kingdom, n = 37,641) and Secure Anonymized Information Linkage databank (SAIL, Wales, n = 27,782), and secondary care: Scottish Morbidity Records with linked community prescribing data (SMR, Tayside and Fife, n = 6099). Pre-existing multimorbidity preconception was defined from 79 long-term health conditions prioritised through a workshop with patient representatives and clinicians. RESULTS: The prevalence of multimorbidity was 44.2% (95% CI 43.7-44.7%), 46.2% (45.6-46.8%) and 19.8% (18.8-20.8%) in CPRD, SAIL and SMR respectively. When limited to health conditions that were active in the year before pregnancy, the prevalence of multimorbidity was still high (24.2% [23.8-24.6%], 23.5% [23.0-24.0%] and 17.0% [16.0 to 17.9%] in the respective datasets). Mental health conditions were highly prevalent and involved 70% of multimorbidity CPRD: multimorbidity with ≥one mental health condition/s 31.3% [30.8-31.8%]). After adjusting for age, ethnicity, gravidity, index of multiple deprivation, body mass index and smoking, logistic regression showed that pregnant women with multimorbidity were more likely to be older (CPRD England, adjusted OR 1.81 [95% CI 1.04-3.17] 45-49 years vs 15-19 years), multigravid (1.68 [1.50-1.89] gravidity ≥ five vs one), have raised body mass index (1.59 [1.44-1.76], body mass index 30+ vs body mass index 18.5-24.9) and smoked preconception (1.61 [1.46-1.77) vs non-smoker). CONCLUSION: Multimorbidity is prevalent in pregnant women in the United Kingdom, they are more likely to be older, multigravid, have raised body mass index and smoked preconception. Secondary care and community prescribing dataset may only capture the severe spectrum of health conditions. Research is needed urgently to quantify the consequences of maternal multimorbidity for both mothers and children

Research On and Activities For Mathematically Gifted Students

This Topical Survey offers a brief overview of the current state of research on and activities for mathematically gifted students around the world. This is of interest to a broad readership, including educational researchers, research mathematicians, mathematics teachers, teacher educators, curriculum designers, doctoral students, and other stakeholders. It first discusses research concerning the nature of mathematical giftedness, including theoretical frameworks and methodologies that are helpful in identifying and/or creating mathematically gifted students, which is described in this section. It also focuses on research on and the development of mathematical talent and innovation in students, including connections between cognitive, social and affective aspects of mathematically gifted students. Exemplary teaching and learning practices, curricula and a variety of programs that contribute to the development of mathematical talent, gifts, and passion are described as well as the pedagogy and mathematics content suitable for educating pre-service and in-service teachers of mathematically gifted students. The final section provides a brief summary of the paper along with suggestions for the research, activities, and resources that should be available to support mathematically gifted students and their teachers, parents, and other stakeholders

Acknowledgements

I would first like to thank my supervisors. As principal supervisor, Richard Morris is due thanks for giving me the initial opportunity of studying for this degree. Since then, he has provided a mixture of solid advice and inspiration – especially in lab meetings. As for my second supervisor, Peter Dayan, it has simply been a privilege to work with him. None of this thesis would exist without him, nor perhaps my desire to continue on a related course. I have been extremely lucky in the people I have been able to work with. The students and ex-students in Edinburgh, especially Livia de Hoz, Steve Martin, and Mark Ramsay, made work and play a pleasure, and whatever happens next I will miss them. I should also like to thank Gill Maitland for help on numerous occasions. At M.I.T., there are too many people to mention, except Prof. Matthew Wilson, Andrea D’Avella, and the residents of The Hub. Outside of work, without Drs. J and M Hutchison, none of this would have been possible; Mum, Dad, Joanna and Simon, likewise; and a few others made all this turn out the way it has, among them Andrew Salway, Peter Roper, Declan Colgan and Pauline McEwan. I wish, as well, that there were a way I could thank Keith Ruddock, whose kindness to me many years ago meant so much. I should also like to thank the Faculty of Medicine, Edinburgh University, for a Holdswort

First direct detection of rickettsial pathogens and a new rickettsia, 'Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae', in ticks from Sardinia, Italy

ABSTRACTThe present study evaluated the molecular detection and identification of Rickettsia species in 83 ticks collected in Sardinia, Italy. Fifteen ticks were PCR-positive using gltA-specific and ompA-specific primers, leading to the identification of Rickettsia aeschlimannii in Hyalomma marginatum marginatum, R. massiliae in Rhipicephalus turanicus and in Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and a new rickettsia, previously referred to as PoTiRb169 in Portugal, in four Rhipicephalus turanicus. This new species was further characterized by amplification and sequencing of three additional genes (ompB, sca4 and rrs). Using the current criteria to name a rickettsia, this uncultivated rickettsia can be given a Candidatus status, and we propose to call it 'Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae'. The detection of three tick-borne rickettsiae in Sardinia raises the possibility that many cases of spotted fever considered by clinicians and health authorities as Mediterranean spotted fever due to R. conorii could, in fact, be due to other rickettsiae, including those found in this study. Analysing skin biopsies of inoculation eschars in patients with spotted fever would be, together with continuing entomological surveys, the best way to increase our knowledge of tick-borne rickettsioses in Sardinia and more generally in the Mediterranean basin